Slicing machine



Feb. 13. 1923. r 1,445,52L AER. LUSCHKA ET AL.

- SLICING MACHINE.

FILED AUG-2, 1920. s SHEETSSHET l.

Z /ZZ/f so -A. R. LUSCHKA ET' AL. sucme MACHINE.-

FILED AUG-2,1920. 8 SHEETS-SHEET Feb. 13, 1923. 1 1,445,521. A. R.LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE. FILED AUG.2,1920. s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,521.

A. R. LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE.

FlLED AUG-Z: 19.20. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,521. A. R. LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE.

FILED Aua.2, 1920. u SHEETS-SHEET 5.

5&z7kz as: M04414 K J MALL 1M Feb. 13,1923. 1,445,521. I A. R. LUSCHKAET AL.

SLICING MACHINE.

FILED AUG-2, 1920. a SHEETS-SHEET e.

Z025; Z3663 fza zg AUGUST R. LUSCHKA AND HENDRIX tan TO U. s. SLICING orINDIANA.

SLICING MACHINE.

STUKART, OF LAPORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS MACHINE COMPANY, OF LAPORTE,INDIANA, A CORPORATION 1 Application filed August 2, 1920. Serial No.400,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUST R. LUSCHKA and HENDRIK STUKART, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Laporte, in the county of Laporte andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSlicing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanismfor slicing bread and other material,and has for its object the provision of machines of the class namedwhich shall be of improved construction and operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawin s and described in the followingspecnIcatlon, and

1t is more, particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vention Fig. 2 is atopplan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 55 of Fig. 3, with some partsomitted;

ig. 6 is atop plan view with parts in section of a slightly. modifiedform of the invention; i

Fig. 7 is a-vertical sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 6; and

. Fig. 8v is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. In the-"illustrativeembodlment of the invention shown in the drawings, a support or base 10is provided having. a top plate 11 forming a table on which theoperating mechanism is mounted. Rising from the upper face of the platellnear the front edge of the base 10 are twoangle brackets 12 and 13connected at the top by a crossbar 14 having a bearing 15 therein for aknife spindle or shaft 16. The rear end of the shaft 16 isca'rried. in abearing 17 formed in a cross-bar 18, Fig. 2, which is supported onupright rods 19 and 20. The rod 19 is rigidly secured to the top plate11 of the base 10 in any suitable manner,

and the rod 20 is carried by a projecting lug 21 formed at one side ofthe base 10.

Formed integrally with the ends of the shaft 26 front edge of knife31-may be clamped by a wing machine embodying one form of the presentin-' cross-bar 18 are bearings 22 and 23, and a bearing 24 is supportedby an arm-25 at a point lntermediate the ends of the bar. A is journaledin .he bearings 22 and 24 and is provided with a hand wheel 27 having ahandle 28 by which the Slicing machine 1s operated. The knife spindle 161s driven from the shaft 26 by a pair-of beveled gears 29 and 30. A flatcircular disc-shaped knife 31 is carried at the forward end of thespindle'16 adjacent the the table 11. The knife 31, as shown in Figs. 3and 4 is provided with a centralopening 32 and a pair of eccentricopemngs 33 and 34, the openings 33' and 34 being positioned near theperiphery of the knife. The spindle 16 is provided with a head 35arranged in front of the bearing 15 which forms a stop against which thedisc nut 36 or .other suitable securing device. The front face of thehead 35 is provided with a projecting pin 37 for cooperating withopenings 38 and 39 formed in theblade 31 adjacent the openings 33 and34, respectively. A similar opening 40 is formed adjacent the opening 32at the center of the knife. When the disc knife is secured to thespindle 16 by means of eitherone of the eccentric openings 33. and 34and the spindle 16 is rotated the knife will be given an eccentricmovement about the spindle as a center so that the edge of the bladewill have a movement similar to that of a simitar knife used in someforms of slicing machines.

A loaf of bread 41 or other material to be sliced is supportedon a feedplate 42 which carries an up-ri ht wall 43 at one edge thereof. A pairof rackets 44 are secured to the upright plate 43 pivoted on a shaft 45which is journaled in bearings formed on the plate 11 and cross-bar 14,as shown in Fig. 3. A series of toothed wheels 46 are splined on theshaft 45 between the pivot brackets shaft 45 so that the teeth ofalternate discs are angularly displaced relative to one another thussecuring a better engagement with 1 1o prongs 49 of the wheels 46 to theloaf of bread. A pair of rollers 50 arev journaled between yokes 51which are pivoted at the ends of a. pair of arms 52. The arms 52 arepivotally mounted on the upright bar 19 and are provided with a spring53 by means of which. the arms 52 with the rollers 50 thereon are swunginwardly so that the rollers are caused to press resiliently against theface of the loaf 41 opposite the toothed discs 46. In this manner theloaf is pressed against the prongs 49 so that when the shaft 45 isrotated, by mechanism to be described, the loaf will be fed along itssupporting plate 42 toward the front: face of the machine. The rear endof the plate 42 is provided with a stud bolt 54 which projects throughan arcuate slot in abracket 56 secured to the rear face of the base 10.

A wing nut 57 is threaded on the lower end of the bolt 54 so that thebolt may be firmly held at various positions of adjustment in the slot55. The plate 42 may be swung about the shaft 45 as a pivot into variousansquarely across the loaf. When the plate 42- is swung into its .fullline position in Fig, 5 the loaf will be presented at an oblique angleto the plane of the knife and rotation of the knife will therefore causeit to cut across the loaf at an oblique angle in a manner frequentlyused. in slicing long thin loaves of bread, and especially rye bread.

The knife 31 is so proportioned and mounted on the spindle 16 that whenit is in its uppermost position, as-shown in Fig. 3,

there will be sufficient space between the lower edge of the knife andthe table top to accommodate the height of the loaves to be cut. Whenthe knife is turned to; 180 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 3the lower edge of the knife will be slightly below the top of the table11 so that each. revolution of the spindle 16 the knife. passes entirelyacross the space at the front edge of the table from which the loaf ofbread being sliced pro jects. The peculiar eccentric movement of the.knife produces a drawing out which readily slices the bread without anytearing or squeezing action. In order to prevent injury to the operatoror other persons a casing 58 maybe provided which is removably held'inplace by lugs 59 which engage the angle brackets 12 and 13 in a mannerto permit the casing to be readily lifted from the machine. The casingencloses the entire orbit of the knife 31. with the exception of theslicing position adjacent the front end of the supporting plate 42. As'shown in Fig. 4, the casing 58 comprises a rear plate 60'and a frontplate 61 which may bedetachably .secured to the rear plate. The twoplates are spaced apart to enclose the knife 31 and are cut away attheir lower central portions suiliciently to permit the loaves and theslices to be fed past the slicing knife.

The shaft 45 and its toothed discs 46 are rotated to feed the loaf by abeveled pinion 62 secured to the lower end of the shaft 45 below theplate 11 which pinion meshes with a. corresponding pinion 63 on a shaft64 journaled in bearings 65 and '66 depending from the lower face of theplate 11. The end of the shaft 64 projects frome base 10 on the sameside of the base as the hand wheel 27 and carries a ratchet wheel 67rigidly secured thereto. An arm 68 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 64and carries a pawl 69 at the upper end thereof in position to engage theteeth of the ratchet wheel 67. The end of the pawl is provided with aremovable tooth-engaging plate 70 beveled to slide upon the ratchetwheel when the arm 68 is rotated in one direction, and to rotate theratchet wheel 67 when the arm is moved in the opposite direction. Thepawl 69 is resiliently held in contact with the ratchet teeth by a leafspring 71 secured to the arm 68 and bearing against a pin 72 projectingfrom one face of the pawl 69. It

will be seen from Fig. 1 of the drawings that if the pawl is lifted a'sufficient distance away from the ratchet wheel 67 the pin- 72 willplace the center of the pivotal connection between the pawl and itssupporting arm 68 so that the pawl will be retained out of engagementwith the ratchet wheel. A link 73 is pivotally connected at one end tothe arm 68 and at the opposite end to one arm of a bell crank lever 74.The bell crank 74 is pivoted at 75 to an extension 76 projectingdownwardly from the-bearing 22 in which the shaft 26 is journ aled. Theupper end of the bell crank 74 is provided .with a cam roller 77 whichextends into a cam groove 78 formed in a: member7 9 projecting from theface of the hand wheel 27' and rigidly connected therewith. The camgroove 78 is shaped to impart a reciprocation to the lever 74 andthelink 73 at the time that the knife 31 is in its uppermost position andto hold these parts stationary during the time that the knife is makinga slicing out. Movement of the-lever 74 and link 73 will oscillate thepawl 69 and thus impart a partial rotation to the shafts 64' and 45 andto the feeding discs 46 so that the loaf of bread will be fed forwardlyinto position to have a slice cut therefrom. The amount the loaf is fedand consequently the thickness of the slices may beregulated by a camshroud or plate 80. This plate. as

shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is pivotedon the shaft 64 between the ratchetwheel 67 and the arm 68in position to bring its cam surface in alinementwith aroller 81 mounted 5 on the side of the pawl 69. When the roller-81 engages the shroud 80 duri the idle stroke'of the pawl the plate 70wil be lifted out of contact with the ratchet teeth, and will be heldout of contact until the pawl is returned a suflicient amount on itsforward stroke to bring the roller 81 out of contact with the peripheryof the shroud.- The amount of rotation imparted to the ratchet wheel,and consequently to the feeding mechanism, may thus be regulated by theangular position of the shroud 80 upon 'the shaft 64. An arm 82 isformed integral 9 with the shroud 80 and is provided with aspring-pressed pin 83 arranged to engage a series of openings 84' in anindex plate 85.

By withdrawing ings 84 and shi ing the position of the arm 82 to variousopenings in the index plate the feeding mechanism may be adjusted toregulate the thickness of the slices being cut. One of the openings 84is arranged to hold the plate 80in position to .entirely preventoperation of the feeding mechanism so that the thickness of the slicesmaybe varied from nothing to any desired thickness within the limit'ofthe machine. .The index-plate 85 is pivoted at its upper portion to theshaft 64 and is provided with aslot 86 at its lower end through which ascrew 87 extends into a projection 88 on the bases 10. This arrangementpermitsthe index plate 85 to be shifted in order to properly set theindex numerals thereon in position to cause the slices, when formed,to'correspond with the 40 designations on the index plate. r

. The shaft 16 in the usual operation of the machine rotates in aclockwise direction, as

viewed in Fig.3. so that the periphery of the" knife, at the rightof thecenter line in that figure, will constitute the cutting edge. If

this portion of the edge becomes dull in time the knife may bev easilyremoved from the spindle 16 by releasing the wing nut 57 and may besecured to the spindle by the opposite openings 33. This will reversethe posi- '-tion of the knife on the spindle so that the other half ofthe periphery will now become, the cutting edge and it will therefore beunnecessary to sharpen the knife until the two halves have beensuccessively used and until both sides of the knife have become dull.'To sharpen the knife it" may be supported by means of the centralopening 32 so that it will rotate about its center and a sharpeninginstrument may then be held in a stationary position to engage the edgeof the knife as the knife rotates thus restorlng a sharp cutting edge tothe entire periphery of the knife. In this way the knife may be I 6.5much more easily and quickly sharpened the pin 83 from the openbracket90'rigidly connected with the cross bar 18. The spindle is driven from astud shaft 91 arranged in axial alinement with. the shaft 26 andjournaled in bearing 23. The stud shaft 91 is connected with the spindle89 by gearing enclosed in a housing 2 and arranged to increase the speedof the spindle over that of the stud shaft. A pair of spur gears 93 ofdifferent sizes may be v employed for this purpose. An automatic grinder94 is carried by the bracket in position to engage the knife 31 whensupported on the spindle 89. This grinder may be of any well-known andapproved construction, a suitable form of de- 90 vice for that purposebeing shown in Patent No. 1,308,433, granted July 1, 19 19, to August R,Luschka andJosep'h Folk. With v this mechanism, when it' is desiredtosjharpen a knife, the-blade is removed from the end 95 of spindle 16and placed on the spindle 89.

The stud shaft 91 is then connected with the shaft 25 by means of asliding collar 95 having clutch teeth 96 arranged to engage notches 97in a collar 98 secured to the stud 100 shaft 91. The clutch sleeve 95'isheld in position by .a set screw 99. WVhen the parts. arethus connectedthe grinder is brought into proper engagement with the beveled edge ofthe knife and the hand wheel 27 is rotated to'sharpen the knife in amanner well known in the art. I

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 thegeneral construction and operation of the machine is similar to that ofthe form of invention previously described, but the feeding mechanismfor the loaves of bread as they are being sliced is arrangedhorizontally, instead of vertically, so that the teeth of the feedingdiscs engage the bottom instead of the sides of the loaves. In this formof the invention the drive shaft 64 for the feeding mechanism isoperated in the same 'way as in the form previously described, and astud shaft 100 is journa-led in a bearing 10] in the platell and isdriven by a pair of beveled gears 102 operated by the shaft 64. Abushing 103 is formed integrally with the base plate 11 and a yoke 104is pivoted on the bushing 103 in order to swing about the axis of thestud shaft 100. A slideway 105 is formed on the upper face of the plate11 to support the end of the yoke 104 opposite the shaft 100. A

horizontally arranged shaft 106 is journaled to the shaft 100 and spacedthereon by collars 10.). A work supporting trough or box 110 is secui-edto the bearing members 107 and is supported at its rear end on a bracket111 fastened to the base 10'by screws 112. A slot 113 is formed in thebracket 111 and a bolt 11-1 and wing nut 11:") are provided for holdingthe work support 110 in vari us angular positions of adjustment. Theshaft 100 is driven from the shaft 100 by beve d gears 110 so that thetoothed discs can ilx' operated at any position of the work support. .\narm 117 is pivotally mounted on a lug 118 secured to the work support110 \and a roller 11! is journaled on a shaft 1:20

' the arm 11? may he provided with a spring to supplement the action ofgravity on the roller 119 if this is found desirable.

plate 1'31 is secured to the front edge of the base plate 11 by screws122 and a series of rearwardly projecting fingers 123 are supported atthe upper edge of the plate 1:21 in position to bridge the space betweenthe work support 110 and the slicing knife when the work support isswung into an oblique angular position. as shown in full lines in Fig,0. \Vhen the work support is in the position shown in broken lines inthat figure the front edge of the support will approximately coincidewith the front of the plate 121. Any suitable receiver may be providedfor the slices as they are cut from the loaf. such a device being shownat 121 in Figs.- 5 -and 7 of the drawings.

1. In a slicing machine. a disc-sha 'ied knife. a spindle for rotatingsaid knife. and

' means for securing saio knife to said spindle at a point on said knifespaced from the center thereof.

2. In a slicing machine. a disc-shaped knife. a spindle for rotatingsaid knife. and means for securing said knife to said spindle at aplurality ofspaced positions on said knife.

3. In a slicing machine. a disc-shaped knife. and means for supportingsaid knife at the center thereof and for imparting concentric rotationthereto and-for supporting said knife at a position spaced from thecenter thereof for imparting eccentric rotation to said knife. 4. In aslicing machine, a disc-shaped knife. and means for rotating said knifeabout an axis normal to the plane thereof and spaced from the centerthereof to perform 'a cutting operation and for rotating said knifeabout an axis arranged at the center thereof to facilitate sharpening ofsaid knife.

5. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife, mechanism for rotatingsaid knife about an axis arranged cccentrically thereof to impart aslicing movement to said knife and for totaling said knife about an axisarranged centrally thereof at a different rate of speed from theeccentric rotation of said knife to facilitate sharpening of said knife.

0. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife having a plurality ofopenings therein, and means for securing said knife to a'spindleengaging any oneof said openings.

7. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife having a centrally arrangedopening therein and having a second opening spaced from the center ofsaid knife, and means for selectively engaging said openings so thatsaid knife may be rotated eccentrically to perform a slicing operationand concentrically to facilitate sharpening of said knife.

8. In a slicing machine, a pair of rotary spindles. drivingmechanism forsaid spindles arrangedto rotate said spindles at different rates ofspeed. a disc-shaped knife, means fox-secu ing said knife eccentricallyon the spindle having a slower rate of rotation sothat said knife may beoperated by 'at a plurality of positions spaced from the center thereofto cause different portions of the periphery of said knife to act ascutting edges.

10. In combination, adisc-shaped knife. a spindle for supporting saidknife. means for securing said knife to said spindle at differentpositions on said knife spaced from the center thereof, and means forrotating said spindle to cause different portions of the periphery-ofsaid knife to act as cutting edges. the portion of said peripheryserving as acntting edge depending upon the position of said knife onsaid spindle.

11. In combination, a rotary spindle, a disc-shaped knife secured tosaid spindle at a position spaced from the center of said knife. meansfor holding said knife on said spindle to impart an eccentric rotationthereto, and a housing arranged to form a guard for said knife atvarious positions during the rotation thereof.

12. In combination, a slicing knife, a work 'to the cutting plane ofsaid knife to cause said knife to sever slices from said article atdifferent angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, and means operable inthe various positions of adjustment of said support for feeding saidarticle along said support.

13. In combination, a slicing knife, a Work support for-holding anarticle to'be sliced by said knife, a roller having prongs thereon forengaging said article, resilient means for holding said article againstsaid prongs, and means for rotating said roller to feed. said article tosaid slicingknife, said-work support being movablexabout the axis ofsaid roller to various angular positions of ad justment relative to theplane of said slicing knife.

14. In combination, a slicing knife, a work support for holding articlesto be Sliced, a roller positioned at one side of said work support forengaging said articles, and means. for rotating said roller to feedsaidv articles to said slicing knife, said work support being pivotallyadjustable about the axis of said roller to vary the angle at which anarticle thereon is knife.

15. In a slicing machine, 1 neans for suppresented to said slicingporting an article to be sliced, a disc-shaped knife, and means forrotating said knife about an axis arrangedtransversely-to .the plane ofsaid knife at a point spaced from the center of said disc to impartadrawcutting operation to said knife for severing slices from saidarticle. I

16. In a. slicing machine,-a disc-shaped knife, means for rotating saidknife about an axis extending transversely to the plane thereof andlocated at a point spaced from the center of said disc-shaped knifeto'impart a drawcutting. operation to the edge of said lmife, and means forpresenting an article to said knife at different angles relative to thecutting plane of said'knife to permit said knife to sever. slices fromsaid article at different angles relative thereto.

17 In combination, a slicing knife, means for feeding an article to saidknife, ratchet mechanism for operating said feeding means, an adjustabledevice, for regulating said ratchet mechanism, and means for holdingsaid adjustable device in its different positions of adjustment, saidholding meansbeing adjustable to permit regulation of said adjustingdevice.

'18. In combination, -'a slicing knife, means for feeding an article tobe sliced, a ratchet wheel for operating said feeding means, a pawl forrotating said ratchet wheel, an adjustable device for controlling saidpawl to cause said pawl to impart different amounts,

of movement to said ratchet wheel, and an index member for holding saidadjustable device in its various positions, said index member beingmovable to diflerent positions to regulate the amount of movement ofsaid feeding mechanism for the various positions in which saidadjustable: said index member.

19. In a slicing machine, a work support,

and a plurality of toothed wheels arranged pair of beveled gears fordriving said feed roller, said Work support being movable about the axisof one of said gears to permit said Work support to assume variousangular positions While the driving connection for said roller isundisturbed, and a slicing knife for cutting slices from an article onsaid support at various angles relative to the longie5 'device is heldby for engaging an article carried thereby, a

tudinalaxis of said article, the angle .at

Which'said slices are cut depending upon the position of said worksupport.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification onthis 29th day of July, A. D. 1920.

AUGUST R. LUSCHKA, HENDRIK STUKART.

